Another one bites the dust

[Michael Klein]

Mark

What little I am aware of the politics of this (yes that’s what I said
‘politics’), it will have something to do with water transfers to California
as well as water quality.  Seems sort of strange that someone can find this
more subject to impacts than any other wildlife (plant or animal).  The FWS
shot down wandering skipper in San Diego County because of good numbers in
north county populations but almost ignored south San Diego County
populations practically being extirpated with no explanation as to why.  Of
course in this case it is most probably good that it is not protected so
that we can figure out why there is such a dramatic difference in the
County.  The bad side to this is that no one seems to be willing to put
money to it for the study!!!  Go figure!!  I can spend time studying this
critter, unfortunately my consulting business keeps me too busy to find the
time to prioritize it.  You can only do so much work free before it effects
paying personal bills.  Hermes is taking most of my time.  Most of which is
free.

Anyway, that is about all I know for Nevada.

Michael Klein
San Diego

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu]On
Behalf Of Mark Walker
Sent: Wednesday, August 07, 2002 8:44 PM
To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu; 'lepstalk'
Subject: Another one bites the dust

Well, as I've said before here - I consider listing organisms on Federally
Endangered Species lists (or other such lists) a terrible conservation
failure and not a success.  This should be what we're fighting to avoid -
not fighting to see happen.  I think this is true irregardless of whether
such an action will actually act to save or conserve a species (which I'll
argue it isn't very effective at, either - but that's a different post).

The Carson Wandering Skipper, a little butterfly from western Nevada whose
habitat is amazingly scarce, has recently obtained emercency protected
status AND interestingly some significant press coverage (see
http://channels.attbusiness.net/index.cfm?fuseAction=viewNewsArticle&nav_id=
33&category_name=National&article_id=1905f5916ecd49c7389f12bcf270464d
<http://channels.attbusiness.net/index.cfm?fuseAction=viewNewsArticle&nav_id
=33&category_name=National&article_id=1905f5916ecd49c7389f12bcf270464d>  ).

Anyway, I haven't heard much at all about why this decision is necessary -
other than the obvious.  I'd like to hear from anyone on either of these
lists who can tell me what, if any, conservation efforts were considered and
why none are expected to be successful.

This could be a real interesting case from an evolutionary sense.  Is this a
relict from a receding ocean - and if so, is it basically doomed anyway?
I've never looked for this skipper, though I've undoubtedly driven past it a
hundred times.  I'm saddened that it is so hopelessly limited.  Anyway, I'll
drink a toast to the little wanderer tonight.

Mark Walker.
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